New Police Scotland chief ‘to bring stability to force’
HUMZA Yousaf will make bringing stability to Police Scotland his top priority – but admits the force’s morale is in tatters.
The Justice Secretary spoke after three main candidates were identified in the recruitment process to find a new chief constable.
The vacancy follows the resignation of Phil Gormley in February amid a series of investigations into claims of gross misconduct.
Yousaf said: “Will there be morale issues after what has happened? I don’t doubt that and it would be silly to pretend otherwise.
“But what we have got here now is, I hope, a period of stability. We will get the new chief constable in and that will continue the period of stability for us.”
Yousaf admitted inquiries into the conduct of officers had made it hard for officers to get on with everyday policing.
He added: “The focus has been taken off the policing and that’s what the officers want to get on with, rather than politics.
“I met with the opposition justice spokesperson yesterday and we shared the same desire, to be talking about the policing rather than the politics.”
Three senior officers – Iain Livingstone, Johnny Gwynne and Bill Skelly – are believed to have applied for the £216,549-a-year post.
The chief will be responsible for more than 22,000 officers and staff and a budget of more than £1billion.